Unification of the Georgian realm
[c] The initiative was supported by David III the Great of the Bagrationi dynasty, the most powerful ruler in the Caucasus at the time, who would put prince royal Bagrat, his kin and foster-son, on the Iberian throne, who would eventually be crowned King of all-Georgia.
Even though the 1008 unification of the realm would unite most of western and central Georgian lands, the process would continue to the east, and eventually reach its total completion under King David IV the Builder.
[4] This unprecedented political unification of lands[5] and the meteoric rise of Bagrationi power[6] would inaugurate the Georgian Golden Age and creation of the only medieval pan-Caucasian empire,[7] attaining its greatest geographical extent and dominating the entire Caucasus in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries.
[13] In 888,[14][15] Adarnase IV would restore the Georgian kingship in the name of the Kingdom of the Iberians, a monarchy that was concentrated on the historical lands of Tao and Klarjeti.
[16][17] The Kingdom of the Abkhazians would be experiencing the dynastic succession crisis, while warmongering and emerging east Georgian power of Principality of Kakheti would be in constant conflict with the Iberian neighbors.
This was the very time when the concept and a compelling definition of Georgia was introduced by the writer and ecclesiastical lawyer Giorgi Merchule in 951 in his "Vita of Gregory of Khandzta".
[19] ქართლად ფრიადი ქუეყანაჲ აღირაცხების, რომელსაცა შინა ქართულითა ენითა ჟამი შეიწირვის და ლოცვაჲ ყოველი აღესრულების.We can consider as Greater Georgia wherever mass and prayers are said in Georgian [language].Giorgi Merchule advanced the definition of the nation based upon religious and linguistic considerations.
Right after yet another attack by the Principality of Kakheti on Iberian citadel of Uplistsikhe, part of the aristocracy led by one the most powerful and instrumental Georgian feudal lords, the eristavi,[b] Ivane Marushisdze,[25][26][27] who envisaged a unified Georgia with centralized monarchy, addressed and urged childless David III to end the chaos by taking control of all central Georgian lands and its core region of Kartli and to put his kin, prince Bagrat on throne, thus laying future foundation for a unification process of various lands into a single crown.
ამან წარავლინა მოციქული წინაშე დავით კურაპალატისა; აწჳა, რათა გამოილაშქროს ძალითა მისითა, აღიღოს ქართლი: ანუ დაიმჭიროს თჳთ, ანუ უბოძოს ბაგრატს, ძესა გურგენისსა, ასულისწულსა გიორგი აფხაზთა მეფისასა, რომელსა ეყოდა დედულად აფხაზეთი და ქართლი.
David's armies would rescue the Byzantine emperor Basil II the Bulgar Slayer and the empire's Anatolian possessions from the rebel Bardas Skleros.
[36] იწყო განგებად და საურავად და განმართებად ყოველსა საქმესა მსგავსად პაპისა მისისა, დიდისა გიორგი მეფისა, გინა თუ უმეტესადრე ვთქუა, რამეთუ ყოვლითურთ მიემსგავსებოდა ქცევასა გამზრდელისა თჳსისასა, დიდისა მეფისა დავით კურაპალატისასა.He [Bagrat] started to rule per all the deeds of his grandfather, Great King George [II of Abkhazia], to say more, he was much alike of the behavior of his foster-father, Great King David [III] kouropalates.
King Bagrat the kouropalates conquered all the Caucasus with his sovereignty, from Jiketi to Gorgan, and made Adurbadagan and Shirvan as his tributaries through sovereign rule over Somkhiti.
[44]Bagrat III, being precociously far-sighted and ruthless,[45] would continue the expansion of his unified realm and the suppression of the rebellious separatist aristocracy,[46] including purging his own cousins so no rival Bagrationi could ever claim the Georgian throne.
